Seven farmers who were abducted in the Itaogbolu area of Akure North Local Government Area, Ondo State, have regained their freedom after spending five traumatic days in the hands of their captors.

Sources close to the victims confirmed that the farmers were released on Wednesday night.

“Yes, they have been freed and reunited with their families,” one source disclosed to The Nation on Friday morning.

According to the source, the victims were released along a forest route in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, after the kidnappers reportedly received a ransom of ₦5 million along with food supplies.

“Some of them are currently receiving medical attention due to the harsh treatment they endured while in captivity,” the source added.

Efforts to get an official response from the Ondo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, could not be reached at the time of filing this report. A text message sent to his official line was yet to be delivered.

However, a senior officer within the command, who requested anonymity, confirmed the development in a brief comment to our reporter.

The farmers were reportedly abducted over the weekend while harvesting palm fruits on their farmland when armed men struck.

Family members earlier revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded ₦100 million for the victims’ release. During negotiations, the ransom was reduced to ₦20 million.

Meanwhile, members of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, who were deployed to rescue the victims, came under heavy gunfire from the abductors. Three operatives sustained injuries in the attack.